A Théodred Tale
by Alyxzia
Summary: A tale from when Théodred, Hâma, Gamling and Éothain were young.


**A Théodred Tale **

"Come Éothain, don't act like a lass." Hâma called back to the young man dithering at the cave entrance.

"Théodred you shouldn't be down here. What is your father going to say?" Éothain protested.

"Father will not care. He is checking the stores for winter, he will not even know. He doesn't_ have _to know." Théodred answered. "I have not been down here before."

Théodred, Hâma and Gamling all stood a little way down a dark tunnel that branched off from the main caverns below Helm's Deep.

"And for good reason." Éothain muttered, but he followed his friend without further protests.

"Gamling, where is that journal?" Théodred asked holding out his hand. Gamling placed an old leather bound book in the young prince's hand.

"Hâma, the light." Hâma immediately obeyed by holding the flaming torch closer to the parchment.

"â€I held it within my grasp as I walked down into the deepest cave. The chest was right there as described. I placed the tapestry inside and closed the lid. After checking to be sure that no one had seen me down here, I turned and exited the caverns of Helm's Deep" Théodred read out aloud.

"What are we waiting for?" Hâma asked with a grim before walking down the tunnel with Gamling at his side.

Théodred turned to Éothain, "Come, we shall be careful." He said. "What could go wrong?"

"Do not ask things like that." Éothain snapped. "You should know better. You are the king's son, Théodred, yet you act like a stable hand."

"And how would you have me act?" Théodred hissed back. He and Éothain had had this discussion many times before.

"Responsible." Éothain answered giving his usual answer.

"Fine!" Théodred glared at his friend causing him to step back a pace. "Do not come down here with us Éothain. Go back to the Keep and do something _responsible_ unlike me."

"But" Éothain began.

"That is an order, Éothain." Théodred growled. "An order from your Prince."

With that, Théodred turned on his heel, stalking over to where Hâma and Gamling waited.

This particular section of the caves had not been used for many years. Not since the Fell Winter when many of the Rohirrim had been holed up inside Helm's Deep.

Théodred, at 22 years of ages, had always been a curious person, so when he had come across an old journal while rifling through the library at Edoras, his adventurous side had surfaced. Two of the Prince's good friends, Hâma and Gamling, were all for going down into the caves with him to search for the trunk that was said to hold an ancient tapestry believed lost for many years.

Éothain, the fourth member of the friendship group, lacked the same adventurous spirit as his friends.

The deeper the three ventured, the darker it became. Théodred led the way with Hâma on his right with the torch, and Gamling on his left.

"How far do you think it is?" Gamling asked.

"Not much deeper, I hope." Théodred answered. "The air is so cold down here."

"Théodred, look over there."

Théodred turned to see where Hâma was pointing. Hâma held the torch up high so they could see where something was partially buried under dirt. Théodred and Gamling moved dirt and rocks to uncover an old trunk. Hâma being the strongest, swapped Gamling for the torch, and helped Théodred lift the lid. With much grunting and straining of muscles they managed to get the hinges to move.

"Look, it exists." Théodred gasped lifting a folded tapestry out and unfolding a section. A white horse's head could be seen.

"Here, let me help you." Hâma said taking hold of a side. Between them they unfolded the delicate piece of work to reveal the whole picture of a man standing with his right arm raised before a white horse.

"It is the taming of Felaröf by Eorl the Young." Théodred said recalling his Rohan history knowledge.

"That is a very old piece of work." Gamling said.

"Older than any in Meduseld." Théodred agreed.

"What are you going to do with it?" H­âma asked.

"We shall keep it to present to my father at the Great Feast the eve in three days." Théodred told them.

Théoden King of Rohan would be celebrating his 50th birthday with a feast held in Meduseld.

"Here, wrap it in my cloak." Hâma offered his cloak to Théodred. "Your father will question you if you appear without your cloak."

Théodred folded the tapestry up and bundled it up in Hâma's cloak.

Together the threesome exited the caves in time to meet up with the other Rohirrim behind the wall.

While mounting up they exchanged glances, which were not lost on the King who also noticed that Éothain was keeping his distance from his son

"What are those three up to?" Théoden wondered as he led the riders back towards Edoras.

How does Théoden react to his gift? Well that's a tale for another day.

**Finish.**


End file.
